ActionAid is a global movement of people working together to further human rights and defeat poverty for all.

Rwanda utility

What we do

ActionAid Rwanda (AAR) is a Country Program of ActionAid International, a global federation committed to end poverty and injustice.

ActionAid in Rwanda has worked along sides with the people living in poverty and exclusion empowering and building their capabilities to claim and realize their rights. ActionAid is a non-political, non-religious development organization and in alliance with leading anti-poverty agencies working directly with over 500,000 poor and excluded people in 11 communities of five districts in Rwanda.

ActionAid partners works with rural communities to challenge the root causes of poverty, build their skills and increase their knowledge to identify solutions for lasting change impacting their lives.

Our History

ActionAid began operations in Rwanda with a Memorandum of Understanding with Government signed in 1982. In 1986, the MOU was amended in agreement with Aide et Action for ActionAid shift to Burundi to avoid duplication. ActionAid resumed operations in response to aftermath of post genocide emergency situation. It operated as a cross boarder initiative under ActionAid Uganda in 1996 mainly focusing on relief and emergency work. In 1997 became a fully-fledged Country Programme working in Nyanza as the first Local Right Program Area focusing on reconstruction work on shelter, education and water. From 2003 to 2005 ActionAid in Rwanda was part of the pilot of the regionalization process under the Great Lakes initiatives which was disbanded in 2006 leading to resumption of the status of Country Program with national leadership.

ActionAid Rwanda has since supported communities with; basic services like water, health, education and improved agricultural production , value addition and post harvest handling initiatives. We have worked with the communities to improve learning environment of more than 50 primary schools and creation of Integrated Early Childhood Development Centre (ECD) in rural areas where we work.

ActionAid Rwanda has also supported programmes aimed at increasing women’s economic capacity for their full participation and inclusion in development and decision making processes so that they can live in a life of dignity. More than 30,000 women have directly benefited from ActionAid programmes since 1997. More than 300 vulnerable households were provided with houses for decent shelter. Through cooperatives vulnerable women who are mostly heads of households engaged in income generating activities that increased their household income to able to provide for the basic needs for their children including education, clothing, decent shelter, access to nutritional food and pay for mutual health insurance to get better health care services. We have engaged and supported evidence based advocacy and campaign work in fight against GBV, quality education, aid effectiveness and tax justice. Women have been mobilized and supported to engage in leadership and decision making processes and holding duty bearers to account.

It is ‘people in poverty’ - women, men, young people and children - who draw on their own ‘power’ to drive change and determine how change should happen. We connect and support them to organize and advocate for their human rights as the best way to challenge governments and eradicate poverty and injustice.

We believe that ‘The Power in People’ is central to our theory of change at both a federation and individual country level. Our organizational values are at the heart of everything we do. We believe that change is happening everyday due to passion, vision, commitment of resources and experiences of people working in solidarity in networks, movements and social groups.

Vision

A world without poverty and injustice in which every person enjoys the right to a life of dignity

Our Mission

To work with people living in poverty and exclusion to eradicate poverty and injustice

Our Values

Mutual respect requiring us to recognise the innate worth of all people and the value of diversity

Equity and justice requiring us to work to ensure equal opportunity to everyone irrespective of age, gender, disability, location and religion

Honesty and transparency being accountable at all levels for effectiveness of our actions and open in our judgements and communications to others

Solidarity with the poor, powerless and exclude - women, children and youth the only bias in our commitment to fight against poverty and injustice

Courage of conviction requiring us to be creative and radical , bold and innovative without fear of failure in pursuit of making possible impact on causes of poverty

Independence from any religious or party-political affiliation

Humility in our presentation and behaviour recognising we are part of a wider alliance against poverty and injustice